Blogs

One of my favorite boutiques, Ballard’s Velouria, opened a sister store on Capitol Hill in December. The airy, light-filled space is ideal for showcasing local designers such as Deco Modiste and Lekkerlife (both lines currently offer color-saturated dresses that are perfect for special occasions, $120-$148). The new store also carries men’s and children’s clothing - a first for Velouria. The Seattle-based designer, Michael Cepress, creates men’s neckwear ranging from bow ties ($68) to full-length skinny or wide ties ($45-$70).

If you are one of the thousands of fans of Chef Matt Dillon, The Corson Building restaurant and the small urban farm that encircles it, here’s a chance to learn how Dillon does it, based on the garden’s natural seasons. A seven-month gardening and cooking series with Dillon and organic Master Gardener and NPR personality Willi Galloway starts April 14 at the restaurant.

Seattle Tilth, a nationally recognized non-profit dedicated to inspiring and educating people to garden organically and conserve natural resources, has a full slate of informative hands-on workshops coming up this week and next for those ready to dive right into some serious spring gardening.

Assemble Gallery & Studio is a gallery, workspace and retail store all rolled into one (we’ve been big fans since they opened last fall—check out our story on the unique space here). The store offers everything from handcrafted stationery to books, but on a recent visit I learned that Assemble is also on the cutting edge for fashion—literally.

Backyard gardeners rejoice! Benefit from Seattle Tilth's expertise in starting plants, and take some home for your garden. Choose from an amazing selection of edible plant varieties proven to perform well in the Pacific NW during the cool season, starring rare and heirloom organic vegetables.

Join award-winning photographer Paul Bannick on a visual journey to iconic Northwest habitats as utilized by owls and woodpeckers. Bannick will discuss--and show-- how owls and woodpeckers define and enrich their habitat and how their life histories are intertwined. Discovery Park Environmental Learning Center, 3801 W. Government Way, Seattle 98199. $5 suggested donation. For more info, call 206.386.4236.

Deli is a clothing store, but designed to resemble a deli with shirts folded neatly on bakery racks and all t-shirt purchase are rolled and wrapped to look like sub sandwiches. The menswear shop carries contemporary couture brands which are otherwise hard to find in Seattle. Check out the California-based B:Scott menswear brand (shirts, $68) which is also suitable for women thanks to their XXS sizes or the Obey line with super-soft t-shirt/tank dresses ($49).

MUST IMBIBECheap Beer and ProseThursday (3/11) • Tired of stodgy lit readings? Grab a $1 beer and hear fresh work by local writers--including the phenomenal Bret Fetzer and Stacey Levine--at the new spin-off series by the folks who brought you Cheap Wine and Poetry. It was standing room only at the last event, so get there early! 7 p.m. Free. Richard Hugo House cheapwineandpoetry.com

MUST IMBIBECheap Beer and ProseThursday (3/11) • Tired of stodgy lit readings? Grab a $1 beer and hear fresh work by local writers--including the phenomenal Bret Fetzer and Stacey Levine--at the new spin-off series by the folks who brought you Cheap Wine and Poetry. It was standing room only at the last event, so get there early! 7 p.m. Free. Richard Hugo House cheapwineandpoetry.com

"The Last Campaign of Booth Gardner," a documentary short chronicling the former governor's battle to legalize physician-assisted suicide is up for an Oscar tonight. The 38-minute film was directed by Daniel Junge and shot in mostly in Olympia and Tacoma during the lead up to the passing of Initiative 1000 (a.k.a. the "Death with Dignity Act"). Here's a clip from the 38-minute film (which is supposed to eventually air on HBO) directed by Colorado filmmaker Daniel Junge.

Seattle mag fashion correspondent Joan Kelly lends her expertise to Seattlemag.com with her "In the Closet" series, a monthly video installment on Seattle shops, looks, trends and more. Last week, Kelly stopped by The Art Institute of Seattle to give us a sneak peek at new spring and fall trends.